Exploitation and Criminal Victimization of Children of Migrant Families
Author: Rengasamy, Stalin , stalin.socio@gmail.com
Department: Department of Criminology
University: University of Madras, India
Supervisor: Dr. M. Srinivasan
Year of completion: In progress
Language of dissertation: English
Keywords:
Migration
, Child Victimization
Areas of Research:
Migration
, Law
, Childhood
Abstract
Background of the study
Globalization is a set of economic processes in which production, marketing and investment are integrated across nations. It is also defined as a socio-political process because of its impact on culture, governance and domestic policy. This economic, socio-political process among the nations has a positive as well as negative impact. A vast majority of the third world countries are mostly witnessing the negative impact alone since the process of globalization in third world countries increases the monopolistic control over resources, technology, knowledge and capital by the first world countries. India was basically an agrarian society; most of the economic needs for the nation as well as the people were fulfilled by the agriculture sector. Though caste and class based discrimination was prevalent in India, the basic needs of the poor were met through rights over common lands and forest-based subsistence. Today, the scenario in the state of Tamil Nadu in the agrarian sector is no longer this way. Small peasants and agricultural labourers are the worst affected because agriculture is both non-profitable and unsustainable. As a result, the rural people, particularly from peasant families are migrating in large numbers from their villages to nearby towns/cities/districts/states. The migration process of rural poor peasant families for their survival is easily exploited by job providers and agents. In this process, the migrants and their families, including women and children are exploited and criminally victimized in various ways. Their children, particularly, are vulnerable to various forms of exploitation and criminal victimization. Against this background, it has been proposed to undertake a research with the following broad objectives:
This study has several objectives:
• First, this study aims to determine how the children of migrant families are subjected to exploitation and criminal victimization;
• Second, this study will determine who are the perpetrators of such exploitation and criminal victimization of children.
• Third, this study will examine the reaction or response of the children to such exploitation and criminal victimization.
Scope of the study
The present research will be confined to the study of various forms of exploitation and criminal victimization of the children of migrant families, employed in construction industries, rice-mills and brick kilns situated on the outskirts of Chennai city.
Methodology
The nature of the study will be a descriptive one. The sampling method will be purposive sampling method. The sample size of the present study will be approximately 500 children of migrant families. An interview schedule will be constructed incorporating all the variables to elicit data from the children of migrant families. The data collected will be subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences).
